And Prepare To Fly
by Sonamae
Summary: 20 years old, Chouji finds his hands in the fate love. 173 pounds and ragging with enough care and cooking skills to make any girl happy, how come he only seems to be making one of them smile. InoChouji Probably won't ever be touched again at this rate.
1. Chapter 1

"Diet Diet Diet! Chouji you really do need one!" Ino scoffed as she sat in the circle around the two men who had once been on her team. Chouji rolled his eyes at her and threw a potato chip in her general direction.

"There I'm eating less, now you eat more... anorexic." Chouji muttered the last part and shoved a hand into his pocket to clip his bag of chips shut.

"I heard that you pig!" she yelled back, throwing the chip back.

"Ino, your being so troublesome, he only weighs 174." Shikamaru said through a yawn. It was true, Chouji had gone on a 'diet' years back, he had lost the weight and trained his body to git the chakra, he looked sexy in most female ninjas eyes.

But of course Ino was never satisfied with anything. Or, at least that's what the two men of the old Team 10 had come th think. Chouji sighed and waved a finger. "173 Shikamaru, having to drag you two down here made me lose a pound in my arms." he smiled and took a breath.

Shikamaru's phone went off right as he was about to say something witty and he rolled his eyes, stretching a bit.

"Hello, Shikamaru Nara?" the lazy nin said through his flip phone. There was a pause and he smirked. "I'll be at the hospital as fast as you Temari... yea I love you too." he hung up and stood, his smile still as happy as always.

"Sorry Chouji, Ino. Temari's water just broke, I gotta go." he said waving before he ran out.

"Good lord, I still don't think that child is his, he's to lazy to-"

"Well, anyway Ino," Chouji cut in, "since Shikamaru is gone, I guess I just have you to talk to alone." he smiled as she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Oh what is it, Chouji?" she asked him, plopping her chin into the palms of her hands.

"Ino, how old are you again?" he asked calmly.

"20 why?" the blond female nin asked lamely, stirring the board look on her face around with a sigh.

"And how much do you weigh?"

"98 pounds, why?"

"Ino... the average 20 year old female weighs about 140 pounds. I know 14 year olds who weigh more than you." he said bluntly, staring at her with simple, sad impression.

"So, why do you even care?" she asked him outright, snapping her reply.

"Ino... you not only look disgusting because I can see your rib cage, but I think I've eaten things bigger than your ribs!"

Ino's face burned crimson in her anger as she began gathering her things. "Shut up Chouji Akimichi you..you-" she stood quickly and Chouji only pulled her down by her wrist.

"If you don't gain up to 130 pounds at least Ino, they're thinking of putting a feeding tube in you, by force." he said calmly, looking her dead on. Ino stared at him in horror.

"What are you talking-"

"Tsunade is worried sick, we all are. Ino, I... I just want you to be healthy." he said sweetly. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "I'll help you but you just have to ask, I know how to gain weight. Healthy weight." she shook her head.

"Chouji I'm perfectly fine."

"Ino I could fit you in a damn test tube!" he nearly shouted. "Look." he stood up, bringing her with him, his hands found her shoulders. "I know you think you look awful, but you don't... well... now you do. But that's only because you turn side ways and paper is thinner than you are!"

She stared at her feet as his words stung like salt and vinegar in an open wound. "Ino, when you where a child, you were chubby right? And just chubby from baby fat. You were way prettier than Sakura was." he said with a smile.

Ino looked away. "Chouji..."

"I know your still holding out for Sauske, but look... at least think of it this way." Chouji pulled out a picture of a healthy looking Ino hugging onto Sauske's surprised body. "You wanna look this healthy and this happy, not weight the same thing you did when you were 9."

Ino couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine Chouji, alright fine." she said defeated. He smiled and handed her the picture.

"Look that fat or I'll make you that fat." he said is a humorous tone.

She simply smiled and nodded. "I'll see you in a week then?" she asked in a soft voice.

"If you need help you have my number." Chouji said, patting his pocket with a grin. That conversation had been had 2 weeks ago, and Ino hadn't been seen by anyone but the ninja she was on a mission with in the Mist village.

"Kainu, come on, smile for uncle Chouji!" Chouji said as he smiled at the two week old on the changing table. Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he threw away yet another dirty diaper into the already packed garbage.

"Chouji, he won't smile at you, he's Temari's son." Shikamaru said, lifting the giggling mass of flesh and drool into his arms.

"He smiles at you doesn't he?" Chouji asked sarcastically.

"Oh ha ha, I'm his father." Shikamaru said as he sat back down on the couch. Chouji followed and tried for the fourth time to make the little boy crack a smile towards him.

Kainu only went back to his stare, the dirty blond blue eyed baby had his mothers outlook alright. "Oh boys! Mommies home!" a sweet voice called from the front door.

"We're in the living room, Temari." Shikamaru called as he bounced the baby on his knee.

Temari walked in carrying a bag full of groceries and smiled. "Oh hey Chouji, there's my little devil." Shikamaru smirked as she came toward him. Of course only to pout as she swiftly caught Kainu in her arms and held him cradle style. "Yes you are, my little sadistic satan child that actually lets mommy sleep at night and is the sweetest bundle of joy in the world." Temari cooed, waving her fingers on the child's belly.

He burst into a fit of laughter and took his mothers fingers happily. "Oh please Temari, spoil HIM with your love why don't you." Chouji said waving a hand at Shikamaru's pout.

"Oh Shika don't think I'd forget about you." she leaned over the back of the couch and gave him a swift kiss.

"Have you feed him yet?" she asked sitting in the rocking chair across from the couch at a catty corner.

"No, but he wet himself." Chouji said happily.

"Oh, poor Kainu-kun, daddy hasn't feed you yet!" she played a gasp. "How dare you daddy, I should punish you by not cooking supper." Temari smirked and undid her top. Chouji turned as she began to breast feed the baby in her arms. "So, guess who I saw in the store today." Temari said looking dead at Chouji alone.

"Umm, Hinata and Gaara?" Shikamaru asked, pointing at her.

"No, why would I see them together?" she asked questioningly.

"Gaara found out Hinata likes sweets?" Chouji said with a wink, and Temari rolled her eyes.

"I saw Ino." she stated simply and Chouji looked up.

"Really, how was she?" he asked her.

"Oh I don't know, tired, blond, crazy, what's new?" Shikamaru laughed.

"Thanks a lot Temari, now I know perfectly well how Ino is." he rolled his own eyes.

"She's at her house right now, Chouji, I saw she was packing up on food in abundance." she said with a sigh. "Why don't you go and visit her Chouji." Temari said with a sadistic smile.

Shikamaru smiled at Chouji encouragingly. "Go on." he said. Chouji stared at Temari, then Shikamaru with a smile.

"How you ended up with her still baffles me, Shikamaru." Chouji grabbed his bag and waved. "I'll see you two later, I've got an Ino to chase after."

'Maybe after so many years giving up Sauske would be a good idea for her, I mean, it was a one sided love, anyone could see that.' Chouji thought as he walked the street to Ino's cozy little home.

She lived in a small blue house with bay windows and a wrap around porch with a swing, her claim was to be ready for her family right away. He lifted himself onto the steps and knocked on the door.

"... Coming, I was in the shower!" Ino's voice said after a moments silence. Chouji sighed and the door swung open. Ino stood soaking wet, her hair to her elbows and tied back swiftly from her face, a long purple bath towel wrapped around her elegantly. "Oh, her Chouji." she said with a bright smile to blow any man away.

She had gained the weight, she looked over healthy... But not happy.

"You ok, Ino?" he asked her as she took a step back to let him in.

"I'm fine, why?" she asked nervously.

"Don't lie to me, I'll rip that towel off you in a second." Chouji said as he plopped onto her couch.

"Oh shut up." she said as she walked into her room to change properly.

"Well, whats up?" he asked again.

"I'm fine Chouji... just tired." she answered quickly after her pause.

"Ino... you tell me whats bothering you this instant! I can hear it in your voice!" Chouji said, picking up the remote from her table. Ino appeared out of no where sitting beside him.

"... I think Kiba's gay." she said in a serious tone. Chouji knew this method all to well. Whenever Ino didn't want to talk about something, she would pull out a theory.

"Cough it up Ino."

"No I mean it, he flirts way to much with people! And you've seen the way he looks at Shino!" Chouji sighed.

"Ino, just tell me." he warned her.

"And then he is always trying to play off he gets laid, I mean how sad can you-" Chouji sighed and pushed Ino to the couch bed by her wrists, pinning her in her spot.

"Ino, please don't make me tickle you." She shook her head and looked away, a bitter sting in her voice next.

"Fuck you, Akimichi." Ino said in a sing song voice, but that sting still remained.

"I don't have the time Ino, now please, be a dear." he smiled.

Ino's face lit up quickly as she turned back to him. "I missed that Chouji..." she said in a soft voice.

"What, my cocky sense of humor I adapted with you?" she shook her head and wrapped her ankles around his own.

"I missed you..."

"Why?" Chouji asked, finally letting her go. Ino smiled and reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and suddenly burst into a sobbing fit, the sudden action frightening her friend a bit.

"I don't fucking know!" he sat still over her, confused before he finally sat up with her still clung to him. He tried to sooth her in his fogged thoughts.

'Why would Ino miss me, she must miss Shikamaru too... she'd say she missed us though, not just me, what the hell. Geez, she really is tired...'

Ino let him go and shook her head finally, wiping the tears onto her sleeve. "You hungry? I'm hungry, lets go eat, barbecue, my treat." she stood up and smiled, and Chouji stood as well, still confused by Ino's actions but following her.

After all, why give up a free meal? Especially if it was barbecue.


	2. Chapter 2

Chouji sat in the barbecue shop across from Ino as she played with her hair, oblivious to all the other patrons as they waited. "So, Chouji, we can put this all behind us right?" she asked him gently.

He shrugged as a sizable order of ribs came, the food placed in front of them. "I don't even remember what happened." he said with a shrug as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course, you wouldn't realize a 20 was in your face if you had meat on your plate."

"Ino, shut up and eat." Chouji smiled as he knew he'd won this spat. He and Ino had been having them ever since their team was divided and Shikamaru had asked for Temari's hand. The fighting stopped for a month while they protected their friend from Temari's onslaught of fan boys and over protective brother Kankuro, since Gaara helped Temari plan the wedding instead of getting on his sisters bad side.

"Ino, you haven't touched your food, what's wrong?" Chouji asked as the second wave of food came later.

"Not that hungry I guess." she said swiftly, and with a sigh and much reluctance, Chouji stood and moved to her side of the booth.

"Eat or I feed you myself." he said plainly, seeing through her lie.

"But Chouji I'm not hungry!" Ino again lied.

"Look Ino, I know gaining weight is repulsive to that anorexic mind of yours, but you're home now, and you ARE going to eat." he said with a wave of his chopstick. She looked away from him and shook her head.

"Chouji. I feel really REALLY fat right now ok..." she said, looking at the window as he laughed.

"Oh shut up." he put his arm around her shoulder. "Never knock fat until you truly have been fat." he said with a smile.

She looked over at him and frowned in defeat as he handed her chopsticks and smiled. "Eat up Ino, they'll just keep coming." he grabbed another slice of pulled barbecue pork with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, motioning for Ino to eat as well. She stared at the food for a while, before prodding at it with her wooden utensil, then lifting it up.

"Can't I have chicken instead?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Eat that first, then I'll order you whatever you want." he placed three slices in front of her and Ino looked repulsed but ate anyway.

"I can't eat it Chouji." she said on her third piece.

"Want me to feed you then, you giant baby?" he asked placing his elbow on the table. She looked down and shook her head.

"I hate you at the moment." she tried.

"Alright Ino, you can hate me all you want." he swallowed what was in his mouth. "But you'll thank me when your stomach stops hurting." she glared shot guns at him and forced the last piece down.

"No more. I'm out of the ring." she said plopping her arms onto the table and snuggling her head in them.

Chouji laughed and finished the rest. "No room for dessert then, I thought we could go out for.." Chouji leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Double Chocolate Fudge malts." her one food weakness.

She looked up at him with a teary pout. "You are evil." she said in a whinny voice.

"Only to you Ino, only to you. Now come on, I'll buy you that malt if you hurry up." he stood and waited for her. She placed the money on the table with enough tip for the waiter, sipped the last of her drink and then following him out the restaurant.

Outside in the streets the heat beat down on them like a pressure tube, but they were used to it by now, used to the heat and sweat of the day and the night, only then a cool breeze would spill across their faces.

"So, what have you been up to Ino?" Chouji asked to try and gain conversation between the static that wouldn't even let him touch her.

"I gained weight." she said simply.

"Yea, well, how?" Chouji asked as he kicked a few rocks from under his feet.

"The ninja I got stuck with was an over eating slim and tone girl with high metabolism so she never got fat, she made me try a bunch of random things all the time... and I started to gain pounds." she said in a sigh.

"What was she like?" Chouji asked as a layer of static died by the toss of a sock from the dryer.

"She was a red head, reminded me of you how she ate, but reminded me of Hinata with her attitude in public... But when we were alone she talked more than Sakura and I did put together." she flipped her hair out of her face and giggled. "We got along quickly."

Another layer died away.

"Did this wonder woman have a name?" Chouji asked as he shoved his hands in his pocket, Ino rolled her eyes.

"We were ordered to go by different names. She knew me as Diyu, I knew her as Huniya." she sighed and looked at the sky.

"She reminded me of so many things...." she looked ahead and pointed, "Malt shop!" she said happily. Chouji only laughed as all the static dissipated when she took his hand and dragged him toward the little washboard stand.

"1 Double Chocolate Fudge malt-"

"One straw." Ino cut in with a bright smile. Chouji rolled his eyes as he paid the man. "You could have said you were gonna drink it all. I would have ordered 2." he handed her the malt and she shook her head.

"We can share." Chouji smiled. Ever since Shikamaru and Temari had gone on that three week honeymoon trip Ino insisted they share everything.

"Ino, why don't we just get another straw?" he asked as she took a gulp, then handed it to him.

"'Cause, I like it better after you backwash." he rolled his eyes.

"I do not backwash, we've been over this." he took a sip. She laughed and looped her arm around his.

"Oh chill Chouji. Even if you did I'd be fine with it." she smiled and leaned against him as he shook his head and began to walk her home.

"So, you wanna go to the movies or something tomorrow, I have nothing else to do." Ino said in a lazy tone.

"Sure, why not, I may have to bring the kid though, Temari might be busy and I-"

"Oh please don't tell me you're still trying to get him to smile at you." Chouji only laughed and ruffled the back of Ino's hair.

"He's the closest thing to a kid I've got!" Chouji smiled and kicked a few rocks on the road. As they got closer to Ino's house, the more she seemed to want to avoid it.

"Chouji, will you sleep over?" she asked suddenly out of the blue.

"Umm, eww, Ino." he stared at her. "You're like my sister."

"No moron, I mean just spend the night at my house. It's really quiet in there and it freaks me out." Ino gave him a sweet pleading look.

"Ino, look. I know it's quiet in your house, but why not get a puppy?" She made a soft sound of protest in her throat.

"But Chouji, I swear, it's just for tonight." she asked him, standing in front of him and holding his arm. "Please."

"Ino, no, I don't have any clothes to change into." she sighed, then her face brightened up.

"Then I'll stay at your house!" she tried, but Chouji groaned.

"Ino come on, this is ridiculous!"

"Chouji, please." Ino looked up at him through teary, desperate eyes. Chouji sighed.

"Damn it Ino... Fine."

Chouji turned abruptly and headed toward his house, Ino jumped up happily and followed him with a bright smile. "Thank you." she said, hugging his arm as she caught up to him.

"Just hush and keep up with me." he said with a coy smile.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh Chouji... please, that's... that's just too much." Ino pleaded with him.

"Oh hush and open your mouth Ino, you'll love it." she nodded and opened her mouth, the saliva sticking to the bottom lip and tongue.

Her fingers scrunched on the covers below her, it was cold and way to much to fill in the 'big mouth' Konaha kunoichi. Milky leftovers slipped from the sides of her mouth as she closed her lips over it.

Chouji pulled back with a grin. "So, which one is better, Chocolate with chunks of Strawberry or Orange with cream?" he said dropping the spoon back into the ice cream container. Ino swallowed and licked the sides of her lips.

((Yes, I went there))

"I like... the Chocolate with Strawberry better." she said with a shiver.

"Cold now?" he asked with a laugh, and she nodded and pulled a cover over her shoulders.

"Can we put some more wood in the fire yet, Chouji?" she asked gently.

"Yea, sure." he said with a laugh as he stood and grabbed a few chopped up logs and tossed them into his bedroom fireplace. He went back over to the bed and plopped beside Ino, his head near her waist, his body outstretched. She ruffled her hand through his hair and giggled when he shook his head but let her fingers play with his hair.

"You still hungry?" he asked her as he looked up. She laughed and shook her head no.

"I couldn't eat another bite if you force fed me again, Chouji." she said simply.

"Ah no big deal, your gaining weight." he said with a slight shrug, the sheets under his arms scrunching without a sound.

"But-"

"No buts, you don't even have one! Now, can we go to bed since your not hungry?" she glared at him but shrugged.

"You're a jerk you know?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Yet you still wanna sleep over?" he crawled to the front of his bed, tossing the empty garbage into a waist bin. "The couch on the wall over there pulls out into a bed." he tossed her a pillow. "You need any help pulling it out?" he asked her.

Ino shook her head and got off his bed quickly, shuffling over to the couch when Chouji pulled off his shirt and slipped under the sheet. He reached for the covers and looked over at her.

She had already tossed two cushions onto the floor and flopped down the third, she always was the fast worker. He shook his head and crawled under the cover with a warm sigh. He popped his head up and saw Ino already pulled the bed out and was fluffing up a pillow before she slammed it down on the bed and curled up like a kitten in a comforter. He chuckled and hit his own pillow.

"Night Ino!" he called.

"Good night Chouji." her voice filter to him, soft and sleepy. He smiled and kicked the covers off his legs and dozed off. Dreaming of an all you can eat buffet with no consequences he felt something pull the covers on his bed. He rolled over and opened his eyes to see a teary eyed Ino pulling gently on his covers.

"Was it the one with the squirrel again?" he asked in a yawn as she shook her head no and sniffled. "That dream normally is the one that brings you to tears, ok, fine." he pulled the covers up and sighed.

"Come on." she nodded and crawled into bed next to him with a sniffle. "What has you crying so hard?" he asked her as he reached for a tissue box.

"Y-you j-just weren't there, y-you just g-got up and left, a-and you d-didn't say, you d-didn't anything." she started sobbing harder when he handed her a tissue and sighed.

"Ino... I'm not going to leave anytime soon." he let her fall onto his chest in a fit state of tears and she cuddled as close as she could to him. trying not to cry.

"B-but you j-just l-left and didn't-"

"Ino calm down." he rubbed her hair down and brushed her bangs out of her face. "Don't stress to much, you're too small for that." he said with a laugh. She sniffled and threw her arms around his neck.

"C-Chouji!" he sighed and patted her back.

"I know." he said as he leaned back into the pillow as she sniffled herself to sleep. He yawned and listened to her mumble in her sleep and looked over at his clock.

1:59 AM.

He shook his head and smiled down at her, throughout their childhood Ino had gone to Chouji when she had bad dreams. Complaining that Shikamaru would just pull out some bullshit and not really listen. Yet bribing Chouji with chips made him listen to every word. He would have listened to her anyway, but food just made it a better offer. The dream in question was Ino's fear, squirrels.

Not that she showed it to anyone in public, but she just thought they were 'scary as anything ever.' She'd said that herself when he took her out for a post party drink. She was difficult alright, but sweet. Ino just wanted people happy... except for Sakura, that was the one loop hole, and wanting others happiness brought her stress.

That's what she seemed to seek Chouji out for, the big chubby teddy bear who just loved to listen to her in exchange for a snack. It was like he was a puppy at her feet, begging for food yet she showered the dog with affection and treats.

Why was Ino always hugging up to him?

He looked down at the flower shop keeper and watched her colorless lips mumble. Her skin glowing and her face blotchy from crying. "D-doesn't matter." she mumbled a little louder than other words.

He watched her, curious. "I love him." she whispered as she cuddled closer to Chouji with the tissue in her hand. He smiled and sighed.

"Sleep tight Ino."


	4. Chapter 4

"So, if you give him to much regular milk before 2 he'll just spit it all up. And if he started grabbing at the air, he wants his pacey. I've clipped it to his Binky, and he's got a few extra babas in the diaper bag. No sugar before 4, or after 6, if you go out to eat don't feed him any food, just give him the yellow baba, and change his diaper around 4. Oh and-" the raving mother Temari was cut off by her husband as he scooped the baby from her arms.

"Mommies going crazy again isn't she?" he asked as he sat beside his friend Chouji.

"Shikamaru, this is not funny." Temari stomped out. Chouji laughed and looked back at her as she stood before Ino.

"Oh yea, this is hilarious actually." he remarked, watching as Ino thought wildly on the mothers commands.

"Will you relax, both of you. I've watched Kainu millions of times and you know it." he took the child then as he tried making goofy faces.

"Yes, I know this Chouji, buy Ino hasn't." Temari began to write things down on a piece of paper.

"Temari, your going to get gray hairs, Chouji is going with Ino. He will watch over him ok." Shikamaru grabbed her by her dress belt and pulled her toward the couch as she glared.

"Stop making fun of me!" she whined as she rounded about the couch and sat in his lap. Ino held the paper and diaper bag in her hands as she watched the three with a smile.

"Well, we best be off." Chouji commented, bouncing the baby into his arms again as he stood.

"Call me if anything happens!" Temari shouted in a demanding voice as the two exited. Chouji laughed as he scooped the diaper bag from Ino's arm and began to drag her away.

"Come on, if we don't hurry Temar-illa will come after us saying she forgot something." Chouji laughed as the blond followed him with an agitated sigh.

"Chouji, she's just worried about her son." she said simple as she watched the child from over his shoulder. He reached upward toward her and she flopped a bit of her ponytail at him. His eyes widened and he grabbed her hair.

"I'd be worried to if my son was to go off with two people I only know because my husband recommends them." she smiled at the boy as he pulled her hair to bring her closer.

"I know that Ino, but she drives us nuts. I think she stresses more than Tsunadae does. Seriously, Binky, baba?" Chouji rolled his eyes and looked at his watch.

"If we hurry we can make the 9 a.m. showing." she remarked as she saw his watch, her finger begging cuddled with the child before her.

"What can we watch? He might start crying if it's to loud. And if Shikamaru found out it was something scary, he'd kill us." Chouji remarked as he lifted the whining child up higher on his shoulder as he looked closer at the woman.

She gave more of her hand over as the boy watched, fascinated by her fingers. "We can go to the movies, I know this great trick to calm down a baby." Ino said as she smiled and made faces at the child.

"You? I thought children and droll groused you out." Chouji said as he turned his head slightly. Ino only laughed as she tickled the child.

"Oh no. We had to watch several babies, you get used to it." she chirped as the baby giggled happily as he waved his arms to her. Chouji stopped and handed the whining child over to her as she swung him into her arms.

"Hey there big man, what's going on?" she asked the child as she tickled him and he laughed happily as he hugged her hand.

Chouji looked back at her and sighed. "Are you telling I've known this child since he was born and you just meet him. You get him to smile, and even i laugh! /i " he crossed his arms and stared at the child.

"It's easy Chou, see watch." she lifted the child and spun him around as he burst out laughing. She cuddled him to her chest and smiled.

"See, it's really easy." she said, handing the baby over. The giggles faded and he looked up at the man with his big blue eyes.

"There's my nephew!" he said, spinning him in the air just like Ino had done. The child just watched him in amazement, smiling in a sly way.

"Oh I see how it is, your just fooling around with me aren't you?" he lifted the baby higher before passing him back to Ino as he began to burst into giggles.

"This sure is Temari and Shikamaru's son." Chouji laughed as they began to walk again to the theater. "So, how's the turn around going on your food?" he asked as he pulled out a few bills from his kunai pouch.

"Unpleasant." she remarked as the baby cuddled her chest and gave a gentle yawn. "I'm not hungry, yet I know I have to eat at least twice a day. It's driving me insane." she whined gently, one hand supporting the baby, the other in it's grasp.

"Twice? The limit is three Ino. We went over this. Breakfast lunch and-"

"Yea yea, Dinner. But I can't pull it off. When I was on that last mission, I was constantly cooking, constantly eating. Constantly. It...it was scary. The two meals is enough ok." she smiled at a couple as the pointed out the baby in her arms and she took his hand and waved to them.

"Ino, you gained a lot of weight really fast, just chill." he barked as he looked up at the screens and sighed.

"Pick a movie, my head hurts from your whining." he droned as he gave up scanning the bored above them.

Ino rolled her eyes and looked up as the baby held her hand and bounced her fingers in his own. "We can seeee...hmmmm, I guess that one. It looks baby safe. But then, this is Temari's child." Ino said as she looked again.

"He's also Shikamaru's child, and you know that if we watch scary movies with him, Shikamaru will kill us. Even though all he does is yawn through the whole thing, lets take him to...Ino, why do you have your cell phone out?" Chouji asked, looking suspisiously at her.

She held the receiver to her ear as the baby began to stare in wonderment at the glitter on the back of the plastic, never fussing about the fact she took her own hand from him.

"I'm calling Temari," she said simply, listening to the phone ring, "I'm going to ask her what Kainu can or can't watch at the movies."

Chouji sat down and rolled his eyes, pulling out a bag of chips and rubbing his forehead. "We, are going to be here, for hours." he pronounced as he opened the bag and began to eat.

"Oh shut it Chou, Temari will think highly of me if I ask instead of just doing." Ino prompted back, spinning in a slow circle to amuse Kainu.

When phone did get picked up, Temari was on the other line, eager to answer any question about her son. i "Hello, Nara residence. Is Kainu alright?" /i was her immediate response to picking up the phone.

"What would you have done if I was a bill collector or something?" Ino asked gently with a laugh as Kainu cooed as his mothers voice was heard.

i "I've already hung up on them. How is he, is my baby ok?" /i she asked frantically. Ino smiled and laughed again.

"He's fine, we just got to the movies and I was wondering which movie he could watch." she said as Kainu reached for the phone. She lowered her pinkie and he grabbed it instead happily.

i "Oh thank you for asking. I knew if you didn't Chouji would either pick something to loud or to childish." /i Temari chirped warmly. Ino laughed as she glanced the the man accompanying her and smiled slyly.

"I guess you have him nailed to the 'T' then." she said, turning back and looking down at the child.

i "Chouji isn't that hard to figure out really Ino. He's just, different I guess, ever since he lost the bit of weight. But anyway, you can go see 'Ages,' just put the green ear muffs on him because it's a loud movie, and make sure he can see the screen. He absolutely loves watching that thing." /i Temari said, a sizzling in the background. Was she cooking?

"Oh, so he has kind of changed. Well, I'll be sure to get the green ear muffs on him. Any time you really want us back?" she asked the mother, listening as now pots and pans clattered.

i "I'd like around two o'clock, that way he doesn't tire out to easily. He just woke up from a nap when you came and got him, I hope your all going to be ok with having him that long." /i she said laughing gently.

"Oh no it's perfectly fine. He seems like a mild natured kid with me. That and he's adorable." Ino said happily. Temari laughed on the other end and Ino could tell she was smiling.

i "Well, I'll let you go. I've gotta finish cooking and I'm sure you guys wanna get inside before a rush starts." /i Temari said, the phone pausing as she switched ears.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." Ino said sweetly as she waited, then hung up.

"So, what are we doing?" Chouji said with a yawn. Ino handed him the child and began to dig through his diaper bag.

"We," she pulled out a set of earmuffs, "are going to see a movie."

hr 

"Well, here you go." Ino said happily as she pushed the child on the baby swing. Chouji stood at an ice cream stand, awaiting the cones with a yawn.

"What's that? Go higher?" Ino said as the baby laughed happily on the swing. Chouji turned and smiled as he took the cones and began to eat his own, walking over to a bench. He sat down as people came and went.

"Hey Ino, be careful with him, I don't want to take him home sick." he called to her, she only laughed and waved.

"Oh, he's such a cutie." a woman cooed as she watched the baby.

"Yea, he sure is." Chouji said with a smile.

"You two must be so proud to have such an adorable baby." she said with a smile. Chouji coughed and shook his head.

"No no. He's not ours. We're his aunt and uncle." he slapped himself mentally.

"Oh, you two should think of having your own children. They'd be very cute." the woman stood before he could tell her otherwise.


End file.
